ViSalus Holdings LLC Announces Union With Blyth, Inc (NYSE: BTH)

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 5  /PRNewswire/ -- Weight Management and Nutritional supplement maker ViSalus Holdings has announced an agreement to become a member of Blyth's family of companies and successful brands.  Blyth is a leader in the direct selling industry and ViSalus provides innovative health solutions through high quality wellness products such as the Vi-PAK Advanced Anti-Aging and Energy System, ViSalus NEURO Smart Energy Drink, and the Trim Slim Shape Program for healthy weight loss and weight management.

As part of the comprehensive agreement, Blyth's Chairman of the Board and CEO, Robert B. Goergen, will be joining the ViSalus Board of Managers. The Founders of ViSalus, Ryan Blair, Nick Sarnicola, and Blake Mallen, as well as the ViSalus Management Team will remain in their roles and have renewed their commitment toward building ViSalus into an international powerhouse in the Health and Wellness Industry.

ViSalus, seed funded by Goergen Family's The Ropart Asset Management Funds (http://www.ropart.com/) in December of 2005, provides Blyth entry into the lucrative and fast-growing health and wellness industry.  Blyth provides ViSalus capital, leverageable assets and domain expertise to facilitate ViSalus' aggressive expansion plans over the next several years.

"During the past three years, ViSalus has made significant investments in its technology, infrastructure and product pipeline to create what we believe is a business model with a distinct competitive advantage.  In partnership with Blyth, we will leverage those investments to accelerate our expansion while minimizing risk," said ViSalus CEO Ryan Blair.

Commenting on the alliance, Robert B. Goergen, Blyth's Chairman of the Board and CEO, said, "Today's commitment builds further on Blyth's long-term focus on direct-to-consumer sales opportunities. Importantly, we are able to diversify within the direct selling channel with products that appeal to different consumer segments." Mr. Goergen continued, "Our partnership with the founders of ViSalus is mutually beneficial in that Blyth is entering a third direct selling product category marketing consumable wellness goods and ViSalus can leverage expertise from Blyth's direct selling core competency, as well as various corporate functions required by a growing enterprise. Moreover, longer term, our experience entering international markets should be beneficial to ViSalus' expansion."

ViSalus Co-Founder and CMO Blake Mallen commented, "It feels great to know that a cause we have put our lives into is now being recognized at this level. The combination of Blyth's experience and global infrastructure will give us a competitive edge in our channel."

"It is a proud day for ViSalus and our community of customers and distributors that Blyth would consider our company a valuable addition to its strategy," said ViSalus Co-Founder and CSO Nick Sarnicola.

ViSalus Vice President of Marketing and Branding, Audrey Sommerfeld, commented, "We now stand alongside the elite brands of Blyth, Inc., and the alliance of ViSalus and Blyth gives our customers and distributors an unparalleled opportunity."

About ViSalus

ViSalus, with headquarters in Troy, Michigan and Los Angeles, CA, is a leading Weight Management and Nutritional Supplement maker utilizing the direct selling channel to distribute its products.

  ViSalus may be found on the Internet at http://www.visalus.com/

  About The Ropart Asset Management Funds


The Ropart Asset Management Funds is a private equity firm that invests directly in small to midsize companies. The firm pursues a flexible strategy, investing throughout the capital structure and in multiple industries, including Business Services, Healthcare Services, Consumer Products, Financial Services, and Technology. http://www.ropart.com/ 

DATASOURCE: ViSalus Holdings LLC



CONTACT:  Alfred Hopton of B|W|R Public Relations, [phone],

, for ViSalus Holdings LLC 



Web site:  http://www.visalus.com/

http://www.ropart.com/ 

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